Prospects1500 Mock MLB Draft (2026)

roch cholowsky orleans 2024 — Roch Cholowsky, Orleans Firebirds, 2024 Cape Cod Baseball League. Photo credit Kyndall Williams, @kyndall.williams_ and @gamedaylens on Instagram.

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Four of our Prospects1500 correspondents participated in a mock draft to predict how the first round plus prospect promotion incentive, comp picks and the first few picks of the second round could play out in the upcoming 2026 MLB Draft.

Mock draft participants: Jack Knight (@Jack_On_Sports), Jeremy Mahy (@_JMahy_), Shaun Kernahan (@ShaunKernahan), Kurt Moody (@Baseball_Moods)

They drafted 40 players and added a short write-up with their thoughts on each pick.
Editor note: This mock was completed several weeks back, so recent player movement and trends may not be accounted for, and Brody Bumila’s UCL surgery could certainly affect his draft position and status. Golden Spikes winner Daniel Jackson (Georgia) was not a consensus Top 40 pick at the time of this mock draft and isn’t listed below.

Round 1

1. Chicago White Sox – Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA (Knight)
Chicago needs a spark, and it comes from Cholowsky, the highest-touted college draft prospect in the last five years. He touts a .330 average and exceptional defensive mechanics that present similar to current star shortstops. The White Sox have a strong young infield with 24-year-old Chase Meidroth and 26-year-old Muneteka Murakami, Cholowsky would be yet another blue-chip prospect in the continued rebuild. But when will the winning come? Cholowsky and UCLA certainly know something about turning promise into progress.

2. Tampa Bay Rays – Grady Emerson, SS, Ft. Worth Christian (HS) (Mahy)
Let’s make it three years in a row that the Rays go with a high school bat with their first pick. I could see them going Lackey here but ultimately I think the Rays go with the well rounded Emerson. Thanks in part to the experience he gained winning a gold medal with Team USA in the World Cup, I could see Emerson moving quicker than the typical HS bat.

3. Minnesota Twins – Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech (Kernahan)
Three of the past four first round picks for the Twins have been from the college ranks, with Walker Jenkins the lone exception. The number two college player is pretty clearly Lackey currently, making this pick pretty straight forward.

4. San Francisco Giants – Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep (HS) (Moody)
The younger son of ex-MLB’er George, Lombard offers the rebuilding Giants a premium prospect at a premium position. Lombard will continue to add power and speed to his 6’3” frame as he develops and grows within a MLB training and fitness program. Posey and Vitello get an anchor up the middle for years to come.

5. Pittsburgh Pirates – Eric Booth Jr, OF, Oak Grove (HS) (Knight)
Pittsburgh has plenty of pitching between the major league young tandem of Paul Skenes and Bubba Chandler, and top prospect Seth Hernandez. The Pirates need run support, and Booth presents a strong power/speed combo to become an everyday center fielder. His 6.27 60-yard dash gives their lineup an athletic component to cause chaos on the basepaths.

6. Kansas City Royals – Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara (Mahy)
My gut tells me that the Royals could chase a high upside player here, but in this scenario I don’t see how they can pass on the chance to get the #1 college arm. Flora dominated D-1 hitters this season and displays an arsenal that has the ability to get both handed hitters out while also going through a lineup a third time. He looks like more of a high upside mid-rotation arm than an ace, but he will likely move quickly.

7. Baltimore Orioles – Gio Rojas, LHP, Marjory Stoneman Douglas (HS) (Kernahan)
Really feel like this is a spot one of the prep left handers goes. I was back and forth between Rojas and Carson Bolemon, but I am personally a touch higher on Rojas he has the bigger upside, which was my tiebreaker here.

8. Athletics – Cade Townsend, RHP, Ole Miss (Moody)
The Athletics love college arms (Arnold ‘25, Jump ‘24) and the upside to Townsend is indisputable. A fastball averaging 96-98 with good spin and movement. His curve and slider keep batters’ timing off. The Athletics will work on velocity and arm side cut away from MLB hitters.

9. Atlanta Braves – Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech (Knight)
Burress is the second half of the Yellow Jackets’ monster tandem. There’s nothing extraordinary, but the high-level fundamentals do the talking: a .358 batting average and a strong arm from a corner outfield spot that will make baserunners think twice about turning the corner. The Braves highest positional player prospect is a Tier 3 outfielder so another trusty bat is always welcome.

10. Colorado Rockies – AJ Gracia, OF, Virginia (Mahy)
The Rockies new regime will get to make their first pick at this spot. The buzz is that they will play it somewhat safe and go with a proven college performer. That is just what they will get in Gracia. He has a fluid lefthanded stroke combined with a mature approach that could really play nicely in the thin air of Denver.

11. Washington Nationals – Carson Bolemon, LHP, Southside Christian (HS) (Kernahan)
The Nationals have not taken a first round arm since 2020, but Bolemon is too good to pass up here. I nearly gave him to the Orioles four spots ago, instead he heads down the road an hour and brings the workhorse frame and advanced command to DC.

12. Los Angeles Angels – Chris Hacopian, 2B, Texas A&M (Moody)
Some scouts put Hacopian’s hit tool at the top of college players in this draft. In his entire college career, there isn’t a season with more strikeouts than walks. The pitch identification and barrel rate will fast-track Hacopian through the minor leagues. With the Angels struggling to find a place for former 1st round pick Christian Moore, the addition of Hacopian could escalate that decision.

13. St. Louis Cardinals – Sawyer Strosnider, OF, TCU (Knight)
Strosnider has shot through mock drafts this season thanks to efficiency improvements at the plate. Chases were down and walks were up which will give him more opportunities to face challenge pitches and show off his power with the bat. Strosnider’s OPS has been over 1000 in both Big 12 seasons, and the defensive Cardinals can always use another trusty hitter.

14. Miami Marlins – Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama (Mahy)
Lebron’s struggles against SEC competition is concerning but the tools that had him in the conversation to go 1-1 coming into the season are still there. If the Marlins can help him unlock those tools on a consistent basis this could be one of those picks that you look back on and wonder how a player this talented slipped to #14. On the other hand if they can’t, he might not make it out of Double-A.

15. Arizona Diamondbacks – Derek Curiel, OF, LSU (Kernahan)
The DBacks have coveted hit tools in recent drafts, one could argue Curiel has the best hit tool in the entire draft. I am higher than a lot of the industry is on Curiel, but he has as long a track record as anyone in this class in terms of performance, and that is despite being a draft eligible sophomore.

16. Texas Rangers – Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina (Moody)
A pre-season All-American, Flukey struggled with a rib cage/core injury for most of the 2025 season. His last full season in 2025, Cameron posted a 3.19 ERA with 118 strikeouts over 101.2 innings while helping the Chanticleers reach the College World Series. The Rangers will continue to add to the young staff (Rocker, Leiter, Russell, Scarborough).

17. Houston Astros – Trevor Condon, OF, Etowah (HS) (Knight)
The Astros don’t have a single tier 1 prospect, so they go with the speedy outfielder to help continue their youth movement. Condon has strong bat-to-ball skills and his speed can turn singles into doubles. All high school prospects take time to become MLB ready, but Condon’s high ceiling warrants the selection.

18. Cincinnati Reds – Ryder Helfrick, C, Arkansas (Mahy)
The Reds will take the best defensive catcher in the draft here at #18. He has the skills to handle a major league pitching staff right away. Don’t sleep on his bat, he popped 15 home runs (or more) in the past two seasons and has made significant strides in his approach this season with more walks than strikeouts. The pick of Helfrick could allow the Reds to move Alfredo Duno out from behind the plate and get his bat to the majors quicker.

19. Cleveland Guardians – Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Tennessee (Kernahan)
What? A Tennessee arm flirting with triple digits!? It feels like setting foot in Knoxville guarantees you a 100 MPH fastball, and Kuhns is that big arm this year. He has a smooth delivery and moves well, so there is little question he can stick in a rotation. I considered going college bat here, but Kuhns in the Guardians system just felt too right.

20. Boston Red Sox – Hunter Dietz, LHP, Arkansas (Moody)
Dietz steadily moved up draft rankings throughout the season. His 6’6” length and consistent arm slot make his 97-98 fastball jump at hitters. Dietz might have the best off-speed stuff on the board; mastering a three-pitch mix of curveballs, cutters, and sliders. The Red Sox selected two SEC pitchers in 2025, and that trend continues with Dietz in 2026.

21. San Diego Padres – Brody Bumila, LHP, Bishop Feehan (HS) (Knight)
The 6-foot-9 frame immediately terrifies hitters. His 90 mph tosses at just 18 years old amplify that terror. Yes there are durability questions, but he has the size to withstand the MLB arm workload. San Diego could even start Bumila out in the bullpen to capitalize on the velocity. The Padres need young arms, and after a seemingly successful pick with Kash Mayfield in last year’s first round they should feel confident at 21.
*Per notes in this column intro, Bumila’s UCL injury may very well affect his draft status.

22. Detroit Tigers – Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State (Moody)
The Tigers’ recent draft history for corner infielders leaves much to be desired (Jung, Pacheco, Torkelson, Workman, Keith). However, with Reese on the board at #22, the Tigers can draft an advanced college bat with great combination of contact and power. The biggest question will be if Reese stays at third base or gets MiLB time at first or even outfield. Either way, another power lefty to add to Kerry, Riley, and Kevin will make Tigers fans happy.

23. Chicago Cubs – Logan Reddemann, RHP, UCLA (Kernahan)
Transferring from San Diego to UCLA and transitioning solely to the mound has served Reddemann well. He was shut down due to arm fatigue the final weekend of the regular season, but I am proceeding with the assumption that is purely rest and not a bigger concern.

24. Seattle Mariners – Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida (Mahy)
Taking an SEC pitcher with their first pick last year seems to have worked out nicely for the Mariners. Why not go back to that well? Peterson is not as polished as Kade Anderson was going into the draft and will therefore probably not move as quickly through the system. It has been an uneven season this year for Peterson and there is still work to be done on his command but if any system can get the most out of Peterson, it is the Mariners.

25. Milwaukee Brewers – Mason Edwards, LHP, USC (Knight)
Milwaukee has its flamethrower with All-Star Jacob Misiorowski. Now it has a chance to grab a “stuff” pitcher with Edwards. He had an ERA of 1.43 along with an 8-0 record that helped the Trojans become a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The 20-year-old may sneak into the first round thanks to efficiency inside the strike zone.

Prospect Promotion Incentive Picks

26. Atlanta Braves – Tyler Spangler, SS, De La Salle (HS) (Knight)
Spangler is a raw prospect like most high school prospects, but the Stanford commit has shown flashes with his 6-foot-3, 195 lb frame. Infield has recently been a problem for Atlanta between injuries and offensive production struggles, so it makes sense to go shortstop and look for upside. The Braves’ highest ranked positional player sits in Tier 3.

27. New York Mets – Jared Grindlinger, SS/LHP, Huntington Beach (HS) (Mahy)
The Mets have had recent success with two-way players in the draft. It will be interesting to watch how the Mets develop Grindlinger. I have seen some reports saying he is better on the mound while others see him as a better fit in the outfield. My guess is that the Mets will let him do both to start out and let the bat decide his ultimate home.

28. Houston Astros – Chris Rembert, 2B/INF, Auburn (Knight)
Hitting .345 in the uber-competitive SEC should be all it takes to warrant a selection from Houston. The Astros have traded prospects for win-now players at the deadline in past years, and Rembert’s blue-chip pedigree gives them the flexibility to do just that in future years.

Competitive Balance Round A

29. San Francisco Giants – Zion Rose, OF, Louisville (Moody)
Rose has bat speed and contact rates that nearly match his speed down the baseline. An established college hitter, he needs to work on chase rate and the weak contact those swings produce. The ability to join a Giants system with Arraez & Lee will allow him to learn from a couple of the best hitters in baseball. Oh yeah, and their President of Baseball Operations was pretty good in the box, too.

30. Kansas City Royals – Cole Prosek, C/IF, Magnolia Heights (HS) (Mahy)
The Royals accomplished two goals with their first round pick. They got a pitcher that can help Bobby Witt & company in the short term while also saving some bonus pool money. That will allow them to go after a high upside HS bat with this pick. While the defensive home is still a question, Prosek’s bat will be what carries his profile. His compact lefthanded stroke is more gap to gap power currently but the over the fence power will come as he matures.

31. Arizona Diamondbacks – Cole Carlon, LHP, Arizona State (Kernahan)
Mirroring the approach from a year ago, I have the DBacks following their hit tool first pick with the top college arm at their second. Carlon has massive stuff with a fastball in the mid to upper 90s and one of the best sliders in the class, with a sharp gyro shape. It is really a two pitch mix so there is plenty of reliever risk, but he does have starter upside.

32. St. Louis Cardinals – Jensen Hirschkorn, RHP, Kingsburg (HS) (Knight)
The LSU commit features a 95 mph fastball in addition to a slider and changeup that posses real movement. He stands at 6-foot-7 and fits the mold of a prototypical SEC pitcher: hard thrower with a strong mix of offspeed. The Cardinals only chose one pitcher in the first three rounds of last year’s draft (Liam Doyle), so a boost to the pitching side of their farm system fits.

33. Tampa Bay Rays – Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky (Mahy)
After having to devote a good amount of bonus pool money on their first pick, the Rays add a solid college bat with the 33rd pick. Two years ago the Rays took Bell with the 66th pick but he decided to go to campus. Bell is great value at this spot for the Rays. He has a polished bat with great approach from both sides of the plate and will provide defensive versatility something the Rays value highly.

34. Pittsburgh Pirates – Will Brick, C, Christian Brothers (HS) (Knight)
Pittsburgh has recently undergone somewhat of a catching nightmare between Henry Davis’ early struggles and Endy Rodriguez’s injury issues, so a high-level high school catcher would do the surging Bucs some good. He possesses the defensive fundamentals of the catcher position while also bringing a developed offensive game at the plate and on the base path with a 7.25 sixty time.

35. New York Yankees – Caden Sorrell, OF, Texas A&M (Kernahan)
Big power, plenty of speed, strong armed outfielder who can play center but really isn’t best suited there – AKA a perfect Yankees prospect. Others feel he can definitely stay in center. I don’t like his reads but, while there are still holes in the swing, the bat really came alive this year and turned him into one of the premier college bats in the country.

36. Philadelphia Phillies – Eric Becker, SS, Virginia (Moody)
A college bat that has the knack to always get on-base. Becker shows great maturity at the plate with a low K-rate and above-average OPS. In a system with big power hitters (Miller, Escobar, Nori), Becker’s ability to hit to all fields will expire even angry Philly fans.

37. Colorado Rockies – Blake Bowen, OF, JSerra Catholic (HS) (Mahy)
After taking it safe with the 10th pick, the Rockies swing for the fences (literally) with their back to back picks here in the late 30’s. They go with a couple of high upside HS bats, that if everything clicks, could really make some noise. Bowen, built more like a linebacker, has some serious power potential in his bat. If the Rockies can help him better recognize spin and refine his hit tool, the sky will be the limit.

Round 2

38. Colorado Rockies – Bo Lawrence, 3B, Christ Church Episcopal (HS) (Mahy)
With Lawrence it is all about projection. Checking in at 6’5” the lefthanded hitter has room to grow into some serious power as he matures physically. He displays a good approach at the plate which could allow him to get that future power in game.

39. Toronto Blue Jays – Aiden Robbins, OF, Texas (Kernahan)
Robbins is good at every aspect of baseball, although he may not have a single plus tool. He can play any OF spot, but will never be a great defender at any. He can hit massive home runs, but isn’t a masher. The hit tool is probably the best tool he has, but the overall package is better than the individual tools and he may be one of the more underrated players in the draft.

40. Los Angeles Dodgers – Gavin Grahovac, 1B, Texas A&M (Moody)
What can the two-time defending champions and Top 3 prospect system add at the start of Round 2? How about one of the best raw power bats in the draft. Grahovac was a strikeout waiting to chase his first two years in College Station, but last year he identified off-speed better and dropped the strikeout percentage. His strong arm makes up for slightly limited range at the corners. The Dodgers organizational coaching will surely get Gavin into upper MiLB leagues quickly.

Prospects1500

Prospects1500 is your comprehensive dynasty league resource, featuring deep MLB/MiLB top prospect lists, news and rankings.

Shaun Kernahan

Shaun Kernahan is the MLB Draft correspondent for Prospects1500 and the founder of Three Quarter Slot, an independent national baseball scouting publication covering Draft prospects, minor leaguers, and international players. When not at a game, chances are the TV and/or tablet has a game on and he has a notepad out taking notes. Shaun can be found on Twitter at @ShaunKernahan.

Jack Knight

Jack Knight is a freshman journalism student at Syracuse University. He is a beat writer for the Cape Cod Baseball League's Wareham Gatemen and covers Syracuse Athletics and the Syracuse Mets for the Orange Fizz. Follow Jack's Twitter coverage at @Jack_On_Sports.

Jeremy Mahy

Jeremy covers the St Louis organization and contributes on Prospects of the Week for Prospects1500. Born and raised in the Midwest, he is a lifelong fan of the Birds on the Bat. You can follow him on Twitter @_JMahy_ for more baseball content.

"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too." -Yogi Berra

Kurt Moody

Based deep in the heart of Texas, I am surrounded by the absolute best of college baseball year after year. From midweeks at The Dish to weekends watching Olsen Magic, I love the energy of D1 college baseball. For the past five years, I have been covering the Detroit Tigers organization for Prospects1500 while also ranking MLB Draft eligible players as they join the FYPD and Dynasty world.

Being able to learn from the game’s best coaches and watch the student athletes passionately compete is a blessing I do not take lightly. While rooted in SEC country, I am a B1G Ten truther to my core. I will always stop for a prospect discussion or for random baseball trivia. You can usually find me throughout the baseball season walking the baselines and concourses. Remember friends, “Every game is someone’s first game!”